Measuring Environmental Factors Made Easy

Agvolution has made it its mission to bring people and data together to generate new knowledge and practical recommendations for action. This is what it says on the website of the company founded in May 2020. In concrete terms, this means that Agvolution develops patented sensors that, for the first time ever, allow for a precise measurement of how much water a plant needs. The necessary maintenance of green areas can thus be perfectly adapted to the environmental conditions.

The history of Agvolution, which is based in Göttingen and Erlangen, is closely linked to Thomas Maier’s biography. “In 2012, I took part in the German youth science competition Jugend forscht. My classmate Lukas Kamm and I presented a sensor that could measure humidity in the soil.” He adds: “At that time, we had no idea what this project would lead to. But in 2019, Andreas Heckmann, who is now our CEO, approached us and showed interest in our project idea. Today, Lukas and I are an integral part of the Agvolution team – and we are very happy about it.”

Thomas Maier, now 28 years old, grew up in a town south of Nuremberg. After finishing school, he completed a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in electrical engineering at the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg. Thomas Maier has never lost his passion for researching and experimenting. “I enjoy my work every single day and we work together as a team to develop ideas for streamlining our products even further.”

The Agvolution sensors can be used in different areas. Thomas Maier explains: “Classical areas of application can be found in agriculture, ecological monitoring and in specialised cultivation like tree nurseries and horticultural farms.” He adds: “But our products can also benefit communities. Especially when new urban trees are planted, our sensors get used quite frequently. They can measure how much water in the soil is actually available for the plants. For this, they measure the soil moisture and temperature at three different depths. The results can be used to precisely and purposefully plan any necessary irrigation. This saves resources and, above all, avoids expensive replanting of young trees damaged by drought stress.”

The data that results from the measurements is sent to the computers and smartphones of the greenery managers via the city’s network or mobile networks. All measurements are evaluated there, transformed into digital twins using artificial intelligence models and finally used to provide recommendations for action. Agvolution’s stand at the GaLaBau in Nuremberg will be the perfect place to learn more about this system.

Agvolution is one of the exhibitors at the joint stand Young Innovators. This area is funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action and can be found in Hall 3C. NürnbergMesse offers companies in the International StartUp Area special conditions for participating in GaLaBau, the leading International Trade Fair for Urban Green and Open Spaces (www.galabau-messe.com/en). The fair takes place from 11 – 14 September 2024.